N.B.A. ROUNDUP; For Donovan, Orlando Provides the Right Fit

By HOWARD BECK

Published: June 2, 2007

For Billy Donovan, it is the perfect mix: the money, the team, the location.

After leading Florida to two consecutive N.C.A.A. titles and building a budding dynasty in 11 years there, he is off to the N.B.A., ready to coach the Orlando Magic.

''I feel like I've got great passion,'' Donovan said yesterday. ''I feel like I've got a tremendous work ethic. I feel like I love the game. I know I'm going to work very, very hard at that, and I am excited about that kind of challenge.''

Now he has a five-year, $27.5 million contract and is not far from home as he tries to fashion a winner out of young talent.

Donovan, whose Gators became the first back-to-back champions in 15 years, said that the decision was a struggle.

''I felt like the future for me was how do I grow as a coach, as a person?'' Donovan said at a news conference. ''How do I get better? And I think the way you get better is taking on different challenges.''

Donovan was the country's hottest college coach, and the Magic was not the first to run at him. In April, Donovan declined an offer to become the coach at Kentucky, where he began as an assistant 17 years ago.

But Orlando was the right fit for Donovan, 42. He has four children, and they can stay in Gainesville for now. He will make the 115-mile trip from Orlando to see them when he can. Orlando is on the cusp of securing public financing for a new arena.

Donovan said: ''I think in this day and age with so much the publicity and so much attention on college and professional basketball now, it's really hard to stay at place for a long, long period of time. I'm talking about 20, 25, 30 years.''

Donovan's star power is selling tickets. The Magic took orders for more than 200 season packages within 24 hours of his hiring.

He replaces Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons.

Photo: Billy Donovan said his decision to leave the University of Florida to join the Magic was a struggle. (Photo by John Raoux/Associated Press)